The Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition will offer a free Naloxone (also referred to by its brand name as Narcan®) training session, teaching people how to use medication to reverse the effects of overdose from heroin and other opioid drugs and prevent death. The free training is open to the general public including first responders and to the family and friends of those who use heroin or other opioid drugs. Free kits or prescriptions for Naloxone will be available after the training. The training will be held on Monday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. at United Crescent Hill Ministries (UCHM), 150 S. State Street.

Naloxone is a medication called an “opioid antagonist” used to counter the effects of opioid overdose.  It is used in heroin and other opioid drug overdoses to counteract life-threatening depression of the central nervous system and respiratory system, allowing an overdose victim to breathe normally.

Make plans to attend a meeting to give input on the latest plans for Louisville's Urban Bike Network. Tables will be set up at the Urban Design Studio to discuss:

• The Neighborway Network
• Central Business District Connections
• High demand segments of the citywide network
• Bike Share station and parking suggestions
• Bike facilities updates

The meeting is Monday, March 27 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Urban Design Studio, 507 S Third Street.

The "Money for the Bunny" karaoke fundraiser will be held on Tuesday, March 28th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at The Hub Louisville at 2235 Frankfort Avenue. Money raised from this event will be used to offset the fees for parade security and barricades.

This karaoke fundraiser features popular Frankfort Avenue Business Association restaurant owners and chefs, business owners, employees and neighborhood celebrities alike belting out their favorite tunes. Some even wear costumes! You won’t want to miss it. DJ and karaoke services will be provided by French Kiss Productions. Tara Bassett will serve as emcee.

The cost to sing or to nominate someone to sing is $25. Come cheer on Frankfort Avenue celebrities including...the owner of the Wine Rack, the Silver Dollar, Clifton's Pizza, Bourbon's Bistro, Porcini's Restaurant, Red Hog, St. Joseph Children's Home, the Easter Bunny and many, many more. Prizes are awarded NOT to the participant with the best voice but the participant who raises the MOST MONEY!

Bring your crew of friends and vote early and vote often ($2.00 per vote). You may also bring canned goods to be donated to United Crescent Hill Ministries. 

In addition to money raised through karaoke, the Hub is donating 10% of all food and drink sold at the Hub that evening. There is no cover fee. Children are welcome with adults until 9:00 pm.

I am sponsoring an ordinance for a land use study along the Lexington Road corridor in Irish Hill.  The study will evaluate current and potential land uses under the existing zoning designations and recommend any appropriate zoning map amendments for the study area to address conflicting and incompatible land uses.  The Lexington Road Study area runs from Baxter Avenue to just east of Spring Street.

In the six month period in which the study is being done, there would be a moratorium on the acceptance and further processing of any applications for rezoning, conditional use permits, subdivisions and other specified plans in the study area.   The ordinance notes that the study area “contains a variety of zoning classifications and land uses that are conflicting or have the potential to create land uses that are incompatible in terms of intensity, external impacts, building scale and types, and otherwise are contrary to a well-planned and cohesive neighborhood.”

The proposed ordinance will be considered in committee next week and could come before the full Council on April 13.  The ordinance is here:  https://louisville.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2987218&GUID=AF5CA94C-FEB4-49FF-A61C-22AB69857928&FullText=1.  A Courier-Journal article about it is here: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2017/03/21/councilman-hollander-seeks-hold-irish-hill-projects/99457688/. 

Flooded roadways, destroyed homes and raw sewage overflows are reminders that our city’s ability to thrive depends on the most basic public health and safety protection systems – wastewater, stormwater and flood protection.  MSD has completed an extensive analysis of these systems, and input is needed from the community to determine how soon the critical projects should be completed.

The difficult truth is the solutions come with a price tag of $4.3 billion over the next 20 years.  This includes almost $500 million to finish the remaining Consent Decree projects to meet the federal order to reduce sewer overflows.  Recognizing the magnitude of the impact on ratepayers and the community, MSD is embarking on a wide-reaching community conversation, including at our D9 meeting this week.  

Thank you to those who attended the meeting! For those who missed it, a dedicated website can be found at http://www.louisvillemsd.org/CriticalRepairPlan that includes:

• A video message offering an overview of the challenge and the opportunity to engage
• Brief summaries of the six categories of risk to public health and safety including local pictures of real consequences
• Links to the full Critical Repair & Reinvestment Plan for review (hard copies of Volume 1 have also been distributed to every public library in the county through March 1)
• A comment form to provide direct input on the Plan (http://louisvillemsd.org/community-input-form)

If you’ve been complaining about litter, here’s a chance to do something about it.

Please plan to join me and Legislative Assistant Kyle Ethridge on Saturday, April 8, for the D9 Spring Community Cleanup. In partnership with Brightside, we will be cleaning up Frankfort Avenue in preparation for the Frankfort Avenue Easter Parade. Volunteers should plan to meet at 8:30 a.m. for breakfast sandwiches, provided by the Clifton McDonald’s, and hot coffee, provided by Heine Brothers’ Coffee. The cleanup will officially start at 9:00 a.m. beginning at the Frankfort and Keats public parking lot and fanning out along Frankfort Avenue. The District 9 office will provide bags, gloves, tools and t-shirts on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you would like to register your own neighborhood team through Brightside for the normally scheduled date – Saturday, April 15, please click here.

With the weather warming, door to door solicitors are increasing.  Although most of these solicitors are legitimate and associated with legitimate companies, some are not.  LMPD has already received some reports of door to door solicitors in the District.  LMPD has not associated any criminal incidents related to door to door solicitors but they did want to pass on these tips for you.

• First and foremost, do not let them into your home for any reason.  Do not allow them to use your phone or restroom.  
• Do not give them money.
• If you have any doubts they are legitimate, ask for identification or credentials.  
• Do not provide any personal information.
• You have the right to tell them no thank you, ask them to leave and close the door. 

Call LMPD (574-7111) if you have any reason to believe they are not legitimate or refuse to leave.  Also if you observe them looking in windows, trying doors or entering people’s back yards, call LMPD immediately.  If they become aggressive, irate or hostile, you can call 911 immediately. 

Please call LMPD when the activity is occurring so officers can respond to the area and try to locate the subject and determine if they are legitimate. 

Metro Ordinance 115.361 lists some general rules about solicitors: http://www.amlegal.com/codes/client/louisville-jefferson-county_ky/   

My office is partnering with the Louisville Asset Building Coalition (LABC) to provide FREE tax preparation services again in 2017. The service is FREE if you earned $55,000 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) or less in 2016 or if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Call the office today to see if you qualify and make your appointment! Appointments are available on Fridays (April 7, 14) between 9:15 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Please call the office at 574-3908 to make an appointment.                              

Do you instead file your own taxes? Through the LABC website there are two options to self-file online. The “Turbo Tax Freedom Edition” is available if you have $31,000 or less in income. The software has a well-designed interview process that guides you through the process of making decisions about your filing status, inputting your income and making decisions about deductions and tax credits for which you may qualify. The other option is “My Free Taxes”, which is available if you make $62,000 or less. This program is developed by H&R Block and uses an interview process. Please visit, http://labcservices.org/index.php/free-tax-filing-at-labc-services, for more information.

AARP also offers free tax services at Clifton Christian Church, 131 Vernon Avenue, in D9 on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. More information is available here or by calling 394-3433.

The deadline to register your rental property is coming up on April 3, 2017. All property located in Louisville Metro and occupied or offered for occupancy in exchange for money or any other consideration must be registered with Louisville Metro Government. Failure to register is subject to a fine up to $100 per day per housing unit. Registration must include the rental unit street address along with current contact information of the owner and managing operator.

Registration requires an account with Develop Louisville. Visit, https://www.louisvilleky.gov/government/codes-regulations, to establish an account and access the registry, or to get detailed information and instructions on registry requirements.

My office is happy to assist District 9 residents that are experiencing issues with the registration process. Please contact my Legislative Assistant, Kyle Ethridge, by phone at 574-3908 or email.